Hydroplane.



C. RUHE.

HYDROPLANE.

APPiLICATlON FILED MAR. 9, 1916.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

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C. RUHE,

HYDROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 1916.

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HYDROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 19-16.

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C. RUHE.

HYDROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9,1916.

1,222,674., Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

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' A III! UNITED FATFNT CARLETON RUHE, OF CLEAN, NEW YORK.

HYDROPLANE.

Application filed March 9, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OARLnroN Roi-1n,- a citizen of the United States, residing at Olean, in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hydroplanes.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for increasing the speed of travel of the hydroplane to the maximum.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a hydroplane embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same, parts being in elevation,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of transmission gearing, the casing therefor being in section,

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on line 66 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 is a. detail section through one of the suction cups and propelling means therefor,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through one of the sustaining planes,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section through gearing for the suction propellers,

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same, with parts omitted, and,

Fig. 11 is a detail section through gearing, connected with the engine.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 15 designates a boat hull, having a bottom 16, which is approximately V-shaped in cross-section, and tapers downwardly. The rear portion of the bottom 16 is offset upwardly, as shown at 17, providing a rear bottom portion 18, curved in cross-section and having its concave side arranged lowermost. This curved bottom portion has its longitudinal edges 19, longitudinally inclined and extend Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 117, 191?.

Serial No. 83,142.

and a series of similarly. shaped cups 263,

extending downwardly therefrom into the chamber 22, the cups 26 varying in size and preferably increasing in size toward the central large cup 25. Each of the cups 25 and are apertured to discharge air into the chamber 22. Rotatably mounted within each of these cups are a plurality of suction propellers 27, which are rotated in a direction to draw air into the cups and thus tend to elevate the sustaining planes. The propellers 27 in each suction cup are driven by a stub-shaft 28. The stub-shaft 28 of the cup 25 is driven by a vertical shaft 28 and the stub-shaft 28 of the cups 26 is driven by flexible shafts 29, as shown.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 9, the shaft 28 is rigidly connected with a conpling-cap 30, bolted or otherwise rigidly mounted upon rotatable gear 31. The gear 31 has a tubular hub 32, rotatable upon a stud 33, rigidly attached to a plate 34. This plate is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the bottom wall 24. The plate 34 is provided with an upstanding annular flange 35, having apertures 36, receiving rotatable stub-shafts 37. These stub shafts are connected with the flexible shafts 29, as shown. Rigidly attached to the inner ends of the stub shafts 37 are bevel gears 38, arranged beneath the gear 31 and engaging with the teeth thereof, as shown. It is thus apparent that the rotation of the gear 31, simultaneously drives the shaft 28 and the shafts 29.

Leading into the chamber 22, upon its inner side, is an air outlet pipe or conduit 39, communicating with an exhaust pipe 40, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This exhaust pipe has an elbow 41, the outlet end of which discharges through an opening in the off-set 17, thus conducting the air and products of combustion into the passage beneath the bottom portion 18. Each gear 31 is driven'by an operating shaft 42, extending through the pipe 39 and having a bevel gear 43, rigidly connected with its free end. The bevel gear 43 engages and drives the gear 31.

There are of course two driving shafts 42, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 11. These driving shafts carry bevel gears 43, at their inner ends, which are engaged and driven by a driving bevel gear 43, rigidly mounted upon the crank shaft 44 of the engine. The bevel gears 43 are of course driven in opposite directions and the sets of propellers in the two planes have their blades oppositely pitched whereby they will function to draw the air inwardly.

The crank shaft 44 is driven by an internal combustion engine 45 of any well known or preferred construction. This engine discharges its products of combustion into an exhaust pipe 46. The exhaust pipe 46 discharges into the intake side of a rotary .blower or fan 47. The outlet side of this fan is connected with the pipes 40, as shown. The fan 47 has its rotatable member driven by suitable gearing 48, connecting the same with the forward end of the crank shaft 44.

The numeral 49 designates a rear submerged propeller carried by an inclined driving shaft 50. This driving shaft is ournaled' through a bearing 51 attached to the rear end of the hull 15. The shaft 50 extends forwardly and passes through the stepped portion 17 and is driven by the crank shaft 44, through the medium of suitable transmission gearing 51.

The numeral 52 designates air propellers, carried by shafts 53, journaled through bearings 54, secured to the top of the rear portion of the hull. The shafts 53, as more clearly shown in Fig. 1, are geared to the crank shaft 44 by means of gearing shown in Fig. 4. ()ne shaft 53 has a sprocket wheel 55 rigidly secured thereto and driven by a sprocket chain 56. The sprocket chain 56 engages a. larger sprocket wheel 57, carried by a stub shaft 58. This stub shaft also carries a sprocket wheel 59. The sprocket wheel 59 is engaged by a sprocket chain 60, engaging a sprocket wheel 61, rigidly mounted upon the crank shaft 44. The crank shaft 44 also has a pinion 62 rigidly mounted thereon, engaged by a pinion 63. The pinion 63 drives a stub shaft 64, carrying a sprocket wheel 65. This sprocket Wheel drives a sprocket chain 66, engaging a smaller sprocket wheel 67, rigidly mounted upon the other shaft 63. It is thus apparent that the propellers 52 are rotated in opposite directions and at a greater rate of speedthan the crank shaft speed of the engine. Any other suitable form of gearing may be employed to transmit rotation from the crank shaft 44 to the shaft 53.

The numeral 68 designates rudders, secured to vertical shafts 69. These shafts are journaled in bearings 70, attached to the rear end'of the hull. Rigidly connected with the upper ends of the shafts 69 are cranks 71, connected by a drag link 72. Any suitable means may be employed to move the drag link 72.

In operation, the hull is propelled forwardly by the submerged propeller 49, and the air propellers 52. The exhaust from the engine, together with air drawn in through the cups 25 and '26, discharge into the air passage beneath the bottom portion 18 of the hull. The upward suction produced by the fans or propellers in the suction cups, tends toelevate the entire hull of the hydroplane, and as the suction cups are arranged generally forwardly of' the off-set portion of the bottom of the hull or the transverse axis of the hull, such hull turns upon the transverse axis. As the hull rises from the water, as its speed of travel increases, its contact area with the surface of the water decreases, until the hull practically contacts with the water only at the edges 19 of the body portion 18, such edges functioning, more or less like the runners of a sled.

It' is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull, a structure connected with the hull and having an air chamber, apertured air suction cups arranged within the air chamber, and air suction means arranged within the cups.

2. In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull, a sustaining plane connected therewith and having an air chamber formed therein, and means for drawing air into the air chamber.

3. In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull, sustaining planes connected with the hull and disposed upon opposite sides thereof, means providing air chambers in the sustaining planes, and air suction means arranged within each air chamber.

4. In a hydroplane of the character described, ahull. a sustaining plane connected therewith, normally horizontally rotating propellers carried by the sustaining plane, means to drive the'propellers,and propelling means for the hull.

5; In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull, sustaining planes connected with the hull and disposed upon opposite sides thereof, normally approximately horizontally rotating propellers carried by the sustaining planes, means to drive the propellers, and propelling means for the hull.

6. In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull, sustaining planes connected with the hull and disposed upon opposite sides thereof and provided upon their upper surfaces with openings, perforated suction cups mounted within the openings, propellers mounted to rotate within the suction cups, means to drive the propellers, and propelling means for the hull.

7. In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull, sustaining planes disposed upon opposite sides of the hull and connected therewith and provided with air chambers having their top walls provided with openings, perforated suction cups arranged within the openings and depending into the air chambers, propellers mounted within the suction cups, flexible shafts for driving the propellers, driving means mounted within each air chamber and connected with the flexible shafts therein to drive them, means to operate the driving means, and propelling means for the hull.

8. In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull, normally approximately horizontally rotating propeller means connected with the hull for elevating it, means for receiving air from the propeller means and discharging the same between the exterior of the hull and the water, and propelling means for the hull.

9. In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull having its bottom offset upwardly forming a rear elevated bottom portion, normally approximately horizontally rotating propelling means connected with the hull for elevating it and dispos d generally forwardly of the offset portion of the bottom whereby the elevating eflect'of the propelling means tends to turn the hull upon its transverse axis in proximity to the ofi-set portion, and propelling means for the hull.

10..In a hydroplane of the character de scribed, a hull having its bottom ofi set upwardly forming a rear elevated bottom portion which is curved in cross-section, sustaining planes connected with the hull and disposed upon opposite sides thereof, normally approximately horizontally rotating propellers carried by the sustaining planes, means to drive the propellers, means for receiving air from the propellers and discharging the same beneath the elevated bottom portion of the hull, and propelling means for the hull.

11. In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull, an engine mounted within the hull, a fan driven by the engine and having a casing discharging gases exteriorly of and in proximity to the hull, sustaining planes connected with the hull and having air chambers having means of communication with the fan casing, propelling means arranged within the air chambers, means to drive the propelling means, and propelling means for the hull.

In a hydroplane of the character described, a hull. a sustaining plane connected therewith and having an air chamber formed therein, perforated suction cups mounted within the air chamber, propellers rotatably mounted within the cups, an approximately vertical shaft for driving the propellers in the centrally arranged cup, flexible shafts for driving the propellers in the other cups, bevel gears connected with the flexible shafts, a normally approximately horizontally rotating bevel gear driving the said bevel gears, means to drive the approximately horiaontally rotating bevel gear, means for connecting the approximately vertical shaft with the approximately horizontally rotating bevel gear, and propelling means for the hull.

1.3. In a hydroplane, a subcombination, a perforated suction cup, propellers arranged therein, and means to drive the propellers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CriRLETON RUHE. Witnesses (hmieiii'ron S. Anonnws, lviA'rILnn W. AUERBAGH.

@opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

